Koster woodworking planes

Miscellaneous projects

Jewelery box

I made this jewelery box for my wife. The idea came in 2013 when we were trying out different designs for the lid. We settled on a bronze lid that depicts the rising Sun. The pattern consists of 14 individual pieces of bronze plate (2 mm thick), hand cut and fitted. Where the pieces meet, I added a chamfer to so the whole assembly shows the sun and a number of rays. Depending on the direction and intensity of the light, different rays appear to be almost sparkling. I glued these pieces to some plywood and assembled the box around it. I really enjoyed making this box as I could use the skills I picked up while making planes could be used in a very different arena.

The sides are made of reclaimed mahogany. My grandfather, father and uncle removed this wood (which is over 70 years old by now) from their local city hall years ago when they were hired to renovate it. The wood is beautiful with plenty of character but has become quite brittle. I finished the box with hand-rubbed shellac and wax.

The two trays are removable and can easily slide so every part of the box can be readily accessed. I have used a cherry-like species that used to be in my parents' garden. To make it appear a little lighter and less solid, I thin strips of rosewood to the underside of the box.

Carved name sign

When the student sailing association G.S.Z. Mayday acquired a traditional 25 m clipper, I was asked to make a new name sign. As a former member, I was glad to be able to contribute. Although it bears a pretty long name and this was going to be my first time carving letters, I really enjoyed making this name sign. I made it out of teak and finished it with Danish oil and gold paint.

Two small drawknives

I really like using a drawknife to shape a piece of wood. However, my trusty old drawknife is too big for many of the small projects I do, what with its cutting edge measuring 27 cm. Inspired by the small drawknives that Pfeill and others sell, I decided to make two small drawknives. The blades are 10 and 15 cm, made from 4-mm thick O1 steel. The handles are cherry and are glued to the tangs. I bought a set of letter stamps to mark the blades with my initials.

Krenov-inspired cabinet

A few years ago, I read Krenov's The Impractical Cabinetmaker and loved the cabinet he describes in chapter 'Carved Curves' (p. 86 ff). After finishing another project I decided to build a similar cabinet. I chose ash as my local lumber yard had a nice supply with the grain in some pieces sweeping in a direction suitable to make the sides.

The sides taper towards the middle and sweep out both at the top and the bottom. The thickness of the sides shows a similar variation. The doors are curved outward. In the middle, where the doors meet, this is a simple curve, but where they meet the sides this is a compound curve so they match the shape of the sides. I made two different sets of handles but wasn't happy with either so I decided not to install any for the time being. I installed five removable shelves to optimize storage space.

The back of the cabinet is made from rosewood-faced plywood, left over from the bed my father made over 40 years ago. As I was born in this bed, it felt very special using this leftover piece. I used camellia oil as a finish on the outside and most of the inside as it is clear and does not yellow with age. For increased protection against wear and tear I finished the shelves with hard-wearing varnish.